Why I Removed Social Media Widgets

I’ve done a small underground overhaul on this blog by switching hosts to Media Temple because it’s been faster and more reliable than ASmallOrange. I’ve also removed social media widgets from this site, and I don’t plan on bringing them back.

Social media widgets (likes, tweets, pluses, etc) have two reasons for being: (1) They create social proof if the numbers are high enough and (2) they give people a fast way to share the page with others.

The downsides, however, are they make the site slower to load, and if your page doesn’t go viral it actually ends up giving social proof that your content isn’t actually worthwhile.

No more. The masses can suck it. This content is for you. Take the time to read it, and if you find it worth discussing, feel free to discuss it in the comments below, or on twitter, or facebook, or whatever is the new black. But if it’s just good information to consume, enjoy it. There isn’t a button for subjective enjoyment.

Rightiness

I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.

~ Abraham Lincoln

Truthiness

For myself, I long ago decided that I would rather know the truth than be happy in ignorance. If I cannot have both truth and happiness, give me truth. We'll have a long time to be happy in heaven.